29 Best Restaurants in Austin, Texas

The predominantly outdoor layout of Texas ranch–inspired Contigo consistently draws a steady evening crowd—even when summer temps are well over 100 degrees. With a chef-driven stable of cocktails and a creative Southern-comfort-meets-contemporary-American menu, it's easy to understand why: ox tongue sliders, house-made pigs in a blanket, a gooey cheddar-filled grilled cheese sandwich on brioche, and the cast-iron sautéed okra with jalapeño and walnuts are among the top menu picks. The varied list of weekend brunch offerings includes buttermilk biscuits and gravy, beef tongue hash, and pecan coffee cake.

This beloved villa-style North Loop spot combines sophisticated ambience with a solid menu of authentic Mexican classics. Start with the ceviche Veracruzano (with chiles, onion, tomato, and spices), and continue with a multilayered dish like the ancho relleno San Miguel—a roasted pepper stuffed with chicken, capers, raisins, and cilantro cream—or try the pollo pibil, chicken baked in a banana leaf. Yes, it’s pricier than other Mexican hot spots, but the lovely, romantic atmosphere makes up for it. 

Local chef and native east Austinite Hoover Alexander has created one of the city’s best comfort-food oases, blending Mama's home cooking, diner short-order specials, Tex-Mex favorites, and Cajun influences in one Southern comfort mecca. The self-styled "Smoke, Fire & Ice House" is known for its large portions and flavorful recipes, like a Jamaican jerk chicken and a chicken-fried steak that puts most others to shame. "Side mates” like mac 'n' cheese, fried okra, and creamed jalapeño spinach round out any home-style cravings. A full bar serves popular staples like beet margaritas. It’s hard to save room for dessert, but the homemade pies are excellent—and their New Orleans–influenced breakfasts are worth a try.

The not-so-secret weapon of this classic east Austin breakfast spot is its owner and namesake, local legend Juan Meza, who has run his modest eatery since 1981 and still greets every diner with a bone-crushing handshake and a smile. Juan's strong community spirit is infectious, but the simple, filling, and reliably good fare will start your day off right on its own. The Don Juan taco (a massive mound of eggs, potato, bacon, and cheese) is the true east Austin breakfast of champions; the machacado con huevo (shredded dried beef scrambled with eggs), migas (eggs scrambled with torn corn tortillas, onions, chile peppers, cheese, and spices), and huevos rancheros are also above average. A variety of inexpensive Tex-Mex and Mexican specialties is served at lunch.

On any given sunny day, Austinites flock to Mozart's spacious lakeside patio to enjoy great coffee and indulgent baked goods. The expansive, multitiered deck overlooking Lake Austin can get crowded with weekend patrons, and weekdays are equally popular times for locals to post up and work remotely. Live music on weekends is an added bonus, and their annual Christmas lights display is a seasonal sight to behold.

This local drive-through and fast-food chain turned burger empire is an Austin favorite for a reason. What started as a humble mom-and-pop operation on the corner of South Lamar and Barton Springs Road has evolved into a sprawling web of locations all over Austin and beyond, but the original location is still the ideal spot to experience the simple pleasures of a fresh patty of hormone-free Black Angus beef (or black-bean veggie), hand-cut fries, and hand-spun shakes that make eating bad feel good. 

Hyde Park's iconic neighborhood bakery has been a local staple for over 40 years, serving scratch-made breakfast pastries, cupcakes, cookies, and various seasonal and custom creations. The friendly vibe of the bustling coffee shop attracts a loyal tribe of locals, usually seen hanging out on the outdoor patio tables throughout the day, as well as streams of UT students, families, and fans of the house-made chai.

Relaxed and locally sourced, this Bouldin Creek café is a staple for lovers of high-quality Thai food in a casual neighborhood setting. Part grab-and-go market and coffee bar, part café, and part cooking-class destination, Thai Fresh is a popular lunch and dinner spot, with a diverse range of curries, stir-fries, and noodle and fried-rice dishes. Homemade breakfast tacos are also available throughout the day. Locals drop by for their iced chai lattes and sparkling Thai basil lime aguas frescas, or stick around to indulge in one of their organic vegan ice creams and kombucha cocktails with sake, sparkling rosé, or white wine. A popular brunch service happens on weekends as well.

This scenic Austin institution, on a 450-foot cliff above Lake Travis, is famed for its sunsets and special-occasion atmosphere, popular with tourists, birthday revelers, and anniversary lovebirds. If you can, arrive early to get a table directly overlooking the lake, but most seats in the multitiered eatery have decent views. The menu includes unremarkable Tex-Mex fare like burgers, fajitas, and margaritas, but weekly and seasonal events, such as their Sunset Music Series, create an enjoyable ambience that justifies the 30-minute drive from downtown.

When Texans argue about the relative merits of barbecue joints, the Salt Lick usually winds up at or near the top of the heap. Getting here entails a 30-minute drive southwest of Austin, but diners who make the trek are rewarded with finger-licking-good ribs, beef, chicken, turkey, and sausage slow-cooked over an open pit and accompanied by a tangy sauce (unusual for central Texas) and the usual sides. If you can manage it, top your meal off with blackberry cobbler or pecan pie. The area is dry, alcohol-wise, but the BYOB policy keeps crowds happy. It's cash-only, but there's an on-site ATM.

The interior of this family-owned east-side bakery and restaurant might be shabby, with worn linoleum floors and various Texas-theme memorabilia and fading newspaper articles hanging on the walls, but the hole-in-the-wall's classic Mexican fare still attracts a loyal breakfast and lunch crowd seven days a week. They are drawn by straightforward trademarks like migas (generously covered in melted cheese) and huevos rancheros that aren’t accompanied by the typical Austin-brunch price tag. Diners are offered the choice of flour or corn tortillas or a side of homemade biscuits that can be dressed with drawn butter or honey, both found in squeeze bottles on the tables.

If you're looking for authentic Mexican food at an affordable price (read: cheaper than Fonda San Miguel), then head to Curra's. The cochinita pibil (marinated slow-roasted pork) is moist, tender, and flavorful; the shrimp and fajitas are a cut above most local establishments. Outstanding brunch entrées are served all day, and the enchiladas menu doesn’t disappoint. Try the enchiladas con chile Colorado, filled with melted Monterey Jack cheese and braised pork-tip, marinated in guajillo and chipotle sauces. Portions are hearty, and the house avocado margarita has a significant fan base. There are two locations, south and northwest, and both are casual, with brightly colored, but no frills, interiors. 

Known for its tantalizing deli counter of antipasti, charcuterie, and pâté, this bistro café has an authentic trattoria feel, complete with cheerful Italian countryside tablecloths and patio seating. Sink your fork into a bowl of plump gnocchi bathed in garlicky tomato-arrabiata sauce or nibble on a slice of classic margherita pizza studded with garden-fresh basil. Juicy hanger steak and crispy fries leave you wanting more, but don't fill up on dinner. The patio is a popular spot to enjoy an espresso and phenomenal homemade desserts, from tiramisu to lemon panna cotta.

It’s hard to think a drive-through could have such high-quality fare, but Fresa’s has built a name for its charcoal-grilled chicken al carbon, which is slow-roasted over post oak and served with homemade tortillas and sides like Mexican street corn and crispy brussels sprouts out of this trendy Clarksville take on fast food. Breakfast tacos, aguas frescas, and Stumptown coffee service the early morning crowd, but the family-style lunch and dinner menu is the real signature, with whole- or half-chicken orders (choose from achiote and citrus or Yucatán spice), accompanied by house-made salsas, corn tortillas, charro beans, and rice. Fresh salads, queso, and guacamole, plus a selection of beer, wine, and margarita kits are available for drive-through or walk-up orders.

Austin’s favorite over-the-top doughnut destination, born out of food-truck fame, is now a brick-and-mortar café, where diners can get their favorite perforated pastries topped with everything from chicken-fried steak to beer-battered oysters. Salads (served with garlic doughnuts) and sides like creamed corn and fried brussels sprouts, plus a full bar and rotating selection of local beers, round out the extensive menu. A weekend brunch features doughnut French toast and savory-sweet egg sandwiches, along with Bloody Marys and pitchers of mimosas. But plenty of folks still show up for the giant-sized coffee and dessert doughnuts, like the “Sin-A-Bomb,” with melted cinnamon butter drizzled over cream-cheese icing. A food-truck location is on nearby South 1st Street.

Locals consistently nominate Hut's for the best-burger award in Austin Chronicle restaurant polls. Part of the mystique may be the American Graffiti–like atmosphere: the joint is a local institution that began in 1939. It's been in its present Old West location since 1969, and neon signs, vintage license plates, and UT memorabilia line the walls. Juicy burgers come in about 25 varieties, and the addictive onion rings are graciously served in shareable baskets. It's hard not to surrender to the experience. Beat the considerable dinner rush on Wednesday nights, when all burgers are two-for-one.

With a classic but eclectic menu focusing on comfort foods, this welcoming neighborhood hangout has kept the locals coming in since 1982. Both the original on Duval Street and the newer south Austin location decorate with pleasant, colorful paintings (for sale) by local artists, and maintain an easygoing atmosphere for both the shorts-and-T-shirt crowd and the dressier, special-occasion fraction. The variations on simple fare run from black-bean veggie burgers and chicken-fried steaks to fresh seafood. Weekend brunch and lunch hours are busiest—look for the hungry crowd milling around the fork-in-the-road sculpture staked in the front parking lot.

The Mueller development has welcomed several eateries over the last few years, and this top-notch neighborhood Italian restaurant, which means "the Golden Goose," might be its most delicious addition. Whether it's date night or a quick happy hour with friends, dishes like Texas Wagyu tartare and from-scratch cavatelli al pomodoro will dazzle. 

Housed in an old east Austin tire shop, this counter-service outdoor café is a favorite of families and on-the-go locals. Local hospitality juggernauts Larry McGuire and Liz Lambert kept the Aztec iconography, walk-up service, and sparse layout of the preexisting spot, and the new back patio is ideal for lazy lunches, family outings, and weekend day-drinking. The rotisserie chicken and burgers are popular, and ice-cold draft beer keeps things cool on hot summer days.

This local institution serves a full complement of the simple breakfast/brunch foods that Austinites tend to crave at all hours. The typical selection of sandwiches, omelets, salads, and desserts is supplemented by seven enchilada options and signatures like the Love Migas (eggs scrambled with crisp tortilla chips and fresh salsa, spiked with garlic-serrano butter and served with black beans). Breakfast, including stellar Frisbee-sized pancakes—buttermilk, whole wheat, cornmeal, or luscious gingerbread—is available 24/7. Service is always friendly and the worn booths and tables host a diverse gamut of loyal patrons, from hungover UT students to old-Austin early birds.

Houston restaurateur (and cofounder of the Carrabba’s restaurant chain) Damian Mandola brought his "neighborhood grocery store" and Italian ristorante to The Triangle apartment and retail complex, just north of the UT campus, and the cafeteria-style café has become a favorite for families and hungry college students looking to carbo-load on a budget. Hearty portions of southern Italian specialties, from pizza to daily-rotating raviolis, hit the spot at the right price. Fresh artisanal bread, various antipasti, and seasonal cheeses are available for grab-and-go diners in the deli-style market. Homemade gelato in flavors like pineapple and pumpkin is popular among the dessert options.

This south Austin landmark has been slinging classic Tex-Mex cuisine since 1952, and while the latest Austin food trends have overlooked the establishment as a bland flyover, you'll hear few complaints from the steady crowd of happy diners. Combination dinners are many and varied, with all the usual standbys: tamales, crispy tacos, and more. Diehards swear by the chiles rellenos, enchiladas, and Bob Armstrong dip (queso with taco meat, guacamole, and sour cream). House margaritas, like the prickly pear, are pleasant palate cleansers. The expansive dining room can get noisy at peak hours, but the large outdoor patio is lovely in good weather.

Serving the landlocked city's freshest seafood (fresh off the plane, if not the boat), this combination seafood market and casual eatery traces its history back to 1938 and has been at its Airport Boulevard address—amidst one of Austin’s major commercial arteries—since 1970. Prices are low, preparation is straightforward, and blackboard specials include regional and Cajun favorites like gumbo and bacon-wrapped scallops. The oyster bar serves up po'boys, steamed mussels, seafood tacos, and platters with catfish, cod, salmon, shrimp, or rainbow trout. A full lunch menu is offered, along with beer and wines by the glass.

Many local barbecue snobs turn up their noses at Rudy's because it's a chain (albeit Texas-based) with hokey interiors, but plenty of Austinites count this as their "go-to" choice for a laid-back BBQ lunch. Three kinds of brisket—regular, extra moist, and extra lean—are cooked with dry spices over oak wood (not mesquite). Aside from brisket, there are pork and baby back ribs, turkey breast, pork loin, and prime rib. Sides are uniformly good, especially the creamed corn, which has a cult following. Take-out is brisk (and popular with large groups), but many diners chow down at the vinyl-covered picnic tables. 

If any one restaurant defines the laid-back, somewhat goofy Austin aesthetic, it's probably Shady Grove. On any clear day, expect the stone patio here to be packed with folks fighting the heat with schooner-sized frozen margaritas. Visitors to Barton Springs Pool frequent this state park-inspired establishment for its casual, but funky vibe and huge servings of affordable, simple fare. Burgers and hot dogs are big movers here, as are the vegetarian "hippie sandwiches" (roasted eggplant and grilled vegetables) and impossibly large salads. Their live music series, Unplugged at the Grove, draws high-wattage talent to the outdoor stage throughout spring and summer.

A relatively recent addition to Austin’s barbecue scene, its newcomer status is bolstered by generations of pitmasters hailing from the famed BBQ epicenter of nearby Lockhart. The laid-back Barton Springs location and cafeteria-style service keep things casual, with diners picking out their sides (all the classics, from mac 'n' cheese to potato salad) before selecting their cut of meat. The brisket is impeccably juicy and tender, ribs (pork and beef) are colossal, and the jalapeño sausage is a crowd favorite. Prices are higher than the average barbecue joint, but the merit is there. Don’t expect a Franklin-type line, but they do occasionally sell out of meat, so call ahead if you’re hungry for anything in particular near closing time.

Part of a local chain, The County Line has a few too many amenities to be considered a classic Central Texas barbecue joint. Chairs instead of bargain-basement picnic setups, little loaves of multigrain bread on tables, and functional air-conditioning make things downright civilized, but anyone seeking a traditional BBQ meal in bucolic surroundings can find solace in the slow-smoked ribs—huge slabs of beef and tender pork—that can be ordered in family-style options, replete with generous sides of coleslaw, potato salad, and beans.

Another kind of orange mascot now greets visitors at the Austin airport: Texas fast-food favorite Whataburger, a statewide chain that any true Texan will tell you is a must-try on any visit. Situated at the cell-phone waiting lot, the 24/7 drive-through and 72-seat casual eatery offers a last-chance opportunity to satisfy any preflight cravings for patty melts and onion rings.

This stylish Southwestern fusion outpost is popular for its upscale yet unpretentious vibe and attractively presented Southwestern dishes at fair prices. Try the jerk-chicken Diablo pasta or Tex-Mex plates like the smoked-chicken poblano chile relleno. Portions are hearty, but the salads and small bites, like the grilled-shrimp and guacamole tostada bites, are equally enticing. Peak hours can be noisy, with a good chance of a wait before being seated. Weekend brunch has diverse options, like Barbacoa breakfast enchiladas and chorizo pork scrambles.